In December 2019, a cluster of pneumonia cases linked to a seafood market in Wuhan, China, led to the discovery of a novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV. This virus, isolated from human airway epithelial cells, belongs to the sarbecovirus subgenus of the coronavirus family and is the seventh known human-infecting coronavirus. It is distinct from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The virus was identified through unbiased sequencing and real-time PCR. Clinical features of two patients were described, with one patient dying from the illness. The virus was visualized using transmission electron microscopy, showing spherical particles with distinctive spikes. Genome sequencing revealed high similarity to a bat SARS-like coronavirus but distinct from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 2019-nCoV forms an independent clade within the sarbecovirus subgenus. The study highlights the importance of surveillance and research in identifying novel pathogens. The virus is likely to have originated from animal-to-human transmission. The study was supported by Chinese government grants. Further research is needed to understand the virus's transmission and pathogenesis. The findings emphasize the need for global surveillance and preparedness for emerging infectious diseases.In December 2019, a cluster of pneumonia cases linked to a seafood market in Wuhan, China, led to the discovery of a novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV. This virus, isolated from human airway epithelial cells, belongs to the sarbecovirus subgenus of the coronavirus family and is the seventh known human-infecting coronavirus. It is distinct from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The virus was identified through unbiased sequencing and real-time PCR. Clinical features of two patients were described, with one patient dying from the illness. The virus was visualized using transmission electron microscopy, showing spherical particles with distinctive spikes. Genome sequencing revealed high similarity to a bat SARS-like coronavirus but distinct from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 2019-nCoV forms an independent clade within the sarbecovirus subgenus. The study highlights the importance of surveillance and research in identifying novel pathogens. The virus is likely to have originated from animal-to-human transmission. The study was supported by Chinese government grants. Further research is needed to understand the virus's transmission and pathogenesis. The findings emphasize the need for global surveillance and preparedness for emerging infectious diseases.